USA never promised Russia not to expand NATO to the East: McFaul

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, is sure that solutions to strengthen and expand NATO taken by Western countries have been dictated by the need to counter the “Russian threat”; therefore, they are fully justified.

“The policy of Russia led to the fact that the alliance was forced to counter the threat posed by Russia, and NATO has taken a number of measures to do it,” an American diplomat said in an interview to Postimees, who is currently holding the post of professor at Stanford University.

McFaul also said that such activities of Russia needed a “strong and concrete” response from the American side. “In accordance with the needs to curb Russia, the United States should respond to it,” Postimees quotes the statement of the former U.S. Ambassador to Moscow.

McFaul added that Washington had never promised Moscow not to expand NATO to the East.

“My experience with Russian diplomats shows that the Russians want absolutely everything to be put into writing, everything needs a written contract. Such a promise was not given, and I have never seen a confirming document,” McFaul said in an interview with Postimees.

According to him, “Russia continues an aggressive policy and is currently “doing everything” to bring down the Ukrainian economy”.